by Jarrett Bell, USA TODAY Sports

by Jarrett Bell, USA TODAY Sports

NEWARK - It wasn't five minutes into Knowshon Moreno's shift behind a podium during the latest edition of Super Bowl Media Day when the Denver Broncos running back was struck by one of those This Is Your Life moments that keep popping up this week.

Moreno's high school coach, Steve Antonucci, was embedded with the pack of journalists.

Sure enough, he fired off a question about the "gold grandma slippers" - house shoes that belonged to Moreno's grandmother, Mildred McQueen - which Moreno once put on in a rush and wore to a game.

You see, star players like Moreno, who led Middletown (N.J.) South High to three consecutive state titles, can get away with such footwear.

"I still have those," Moreno said, giggling at the memory. "They're at home. I don't wear 'em anymore."

Moreno was raised by McQueen in Belford, N.J., about 45 minutes from the site of Super Bowl XLVIII, after his maternal grandmother became his legal guardian to provide him the stability that his unmarried young parents were unable to provide during his early years.

Antonucci was the coach who helped him develop his football talent â?? and the focus to get the most from it. Moreno says Antonucci was a father figure. Antonucci says Moreno is like a son. So it's like that.

Which means that Antonucci goes way back in understanding the emotions Moreno can wear on his sleeves. Moreno drew widespread attention a few weeks ago when CBS cameras showed his steady stream of tears as he stood on the sideline during the national anthem of a Dec. 1 game at Kansas City.

"I've seen tears from him, but never with that flow," Antonucci told USA TODAY Sports.

Moreno cried during his first game as a high school freshman. He fumbled twice, then wanted out.

"He comes to the sideline and I can see him dejected," Antonucci said. "He's distraught. He's teary. He's emotional. He says, 'I can't do this anymore.'

"I told him, 'You're the best player on the field. You've got to get it back together and get yourself back out there.' "

I'm guessing that Antonucci has shared that anecdote 600 times - this week.

And why not? Moreno had a legendary prep career, and now he's come home with a chance to win a Super Bowl, a central figure in a Broncos offense that set the NFL's single-season scoring record.

It's typical to rehash the memories during a week like this. It's part of the Super Bowl routine.

Yet when Moreno, 26, says he thinks of his entire life's journey while he cries during the anthem before games - the Kansas City moment was merely the one caught on camera to prompt viral exposure - it is not so typical.

He bounced around for the better part his first decade, until rescued by McQueen. He lived primarily with his father in New York City, and in between stays in apartments, they lived in homeless shelters. He repeatedly changed schools. Money was tight.

"Everyone has things that they go through in life, their own journey," Moreno said.

He does not sound bitter, and there is no hint of self-pity. He sounded like the man teammates describe, constantly upbeat.

No doubt, that background has something to do with the resilience - which is hardly guaranteed - he's demonstrated in battling adversity since the Broncos drafted him in the first round from Georgia in 2009. Setbacks have included a torn ACL. A DUI arrest. An ego-deflating stint on the scout team. The label as a draft-day bust.

How did he handle all of that?

"Knowshon's a happy-go-lucky guy," said receiver Eric Decker. "I don't think I've ever seen him not have a smile on his face. All of us go through some things, and he went through some stuff. He's an example of what it takes when you have trepidation and persistence. He deserves this."

I asked Moreno to explain what his ability to survive his turbulent childhood means now.

"It's just taking advantage of every opportunity," he said. "Things weren't great, but we made it great, no matter what it was. If I was older than I was, I don't know what that situation would've been. I was young. I didn't know any difference.

"They were tough times, traveling, going to different schools, making new friends. But that's what shaped my personality. I can get along with anyone. It definitely made me into the man I am today."

When Moreno says he's thinking of his life's journey while tearing up during the anthem, it's deeper than most could imagine for themselves. You might cry, too.

"You won't find a more amped-up player than him before a game," Antonucci said. "He doesn't outwardly show it like, say, Ray Lewis. But inside there is so much emotion built up. The amount of energy is tremendous. He uses his emotions as an outlet."

Maybe that emotion will be an issue as Moreno plays in the biggest game of his life, a swing factor that could contribute to miscues.

Moreno - who tallied 1,586 yards from scrimmage during the regular season and ordered about 15 tickets for the Super Bowl - says managing his emotions is indeed on his checklist of priorities.

"I'm going to have to keep myself calm the whole time," said Moreno. "For me, that will be my toughest thing, just kind of staying calm and waiting for that moment to happen."

He's even talked about it to Brian Dawkins, the former Pro Bowl safety who finished his career with the Broncos and was known to get pretty hyped himself. Dawkins warned him about the long pre-game period, halftime show and other elements that drag out Super Sunday.

Maybe Moreno should just wear the grandma slippers, and everything will be alright.

His high school team was undefeated after he wore those way-too-small slippers - with teammates imploring him to keep wearing them to games for good luck.

"They held up real nice," he said. "But I don't touch 'em now."

Perhaps the presence of McQueen - the woman Moreno praises for instilling humility and respect in him - will be enough. She will surely be in the house at MetLife Stadium on Sunday. And sitting in the stands, Moreno insists, rather than a private suite. No matter what the weather.

"She's a trooper," he said. "She'll want to be out there bundled up. She's always done that. She was out there in all the cold. Especially in high school."